Well, this is the time of year when best of the year lists start popping up (especially in the book world) and with the online voting for the Goodreads Choice Awards set to begin this week, it only feels right to share my selections for the LRG Best Books of 2023 right now.
This year, my picks are all fiction and new releases as of this past January. Also, several of them were my Book of the Month Club blue box buys and I have to say that thanks to BOMC, some of these titles might have never been on my literary radar (I am only a customer not a sponsored reader).
While I am listing a Top Five, it’s in no particular order, except for the Number One read for me and that happens to be The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty.
This tale of the title retired pirate queen ,called back to her former sea faring ways by an insistent wealthy widow who wants her missing granddaughter found, is an old fashioned romp with modern flair and freshly made creative touches that make you wish that this story would never end.
As Amina rounds up her old crew, faces renewed dangers and deals with challenges more startling than even she expects, you can’t help but cheer her on yet she’s not some cut and paste heroine; her humanity in the midst of it all is what endears the character to the reader and keeps those pages turning.
This is said to be the first in a new series by Chakraborty (who is well known for her other fantasy novels such as the Daevabad trilogy) and hopefully, we won’t have long to wait before that story telling ship sails in:
Next up is Victor Lavelle’s Lone Women, a book that more than lived up to the hype from amazed readers.
The basic plot points are that in the year 1915, Adelaide Henry leaves the burning remains of her family home to resettle in Montana, where land is easily accessible to single women and widows.
Her only major possession is a heavy trunk that is always locked, with Adelaide carrying the only key. Beyond that, I will not say more because the wonders to be found in this darkly engaging novel are best to be discovered on your own.
It does sound like a Western horror story but rest assured, there is truly more than meets the eye with this richly layered look at the choices that people make in the most unexpected situations and ways of life:
One of the most talked about novels this year was Yellowface , a bookish social satire with thriller vibes that made folks either love it or hate it and as you can see, I’m of the former camp.
This sinister snarky narrative by glowing green with jealousy June Hayward, a young writer whose love-hate relationship with popular author and former college colleague Athena Lu takes many dark turns indeed. The story begins when Athena dies by accident, with June the only one on hand to snatch up the work in progress novel that Athena hadn’t shown to anyone other than her that fateful night.
Convincing herself that the “editing” she’s doing is the right thing to do, June gets the book published, using the racially dubious name of Juniper Song. While the novel becomes a critical and financial success, the work is still tainted by June’s pretzel twists of justified logic with public exposure an ever present threat to her career.
To me, this contemporary novel has the media adjacent energy of Robert Altman’s The Player with the emotional echoes of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley cleverly funneled into our current book media realm both online and off. Smart and savvy with a bittersweet edge, definitely one not to be overlooked indeed:
For something completely different, Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen is a good natured take on the undead with heartfelt emotions and a rebel rocker edge.
Louise Chao has found out over the years that the vampire lifestyle is not as advertised with most of her existence being about obtaining leftovers from the hospital blood bank that she works at as a janitor.
Keeping company with only an adorable corgi named Lola, Louise is stunned one evening when some long lost relatives show up on her doorstep, looking for some assistance for the dying mother of Ian, whose father recently passed away as well.
Reluctantly bonding over a shared love of music, Louise does what she can to help Ian, doing her best to conceal the bloody truth about herself. That secret doesn’t stay buried for long and that discovery leads both of them down a most unexpected path that could bring either renewed hope or fresh heartbreak for their future.
The book is a grand wild ride with numerous salutes to the punk rock genres and even if you’re not into vampire lore, this is one pulse pounding beat that is perfectly suitable for a mental musical journey worth taking:
To wrap things up, this tribute to the glories of a Nora Ephron movie is more than ready to become a solid romcom In it’s own right.
In the meanwhile until that happens, You, Again by Kate Goldbeck is a When Harry Met Sally for our modern times.
When struggling comedian Arianna”Ari”Sloane first meets uptight chef Josh Kestenberg, the two of them most definitely get off on the wrong foot, especially since they’re both dating the same girl.
They keep running into each other over the years, with their mutual dislike intact until one such encounter occurs at emotional low points in their lives.
That shared sense of misery begins to turn them into unlikely friends (particularly among their regular set of family and friends!) and possibly something more along the way. Can they really make this work or are Ari and Josh simply meant to be frienemies at best?
While I’m more of a You’ve Got Mail than a When Harry Met Sally fan, this book not only had me rewatching that movie(after a decade or more!) but appreciating the wry dialogue and clever emotional nuances of the characters for their own sake. Goldbeck does her movie maven muse proud and here’s hoping for a sequel:
There were so many other great books that I read and throughly enjoyed this year but due to wanting to keep this post at a reasonable length, didn’t make my main list yet deserve a shout out as well as a whole hearted reading recommendation:
Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen: A matchmaker modern vs. traditional romance by a debut author that you ought to keep an eye out in the near future (her next book, Red String Theory , is due out in 2024).
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas: A mix of historical romance and gothic terror that makes this writer’s next book a definitive must read for me.
Everything Fine by Cecilia Rabess: The ultimate story of a mismatched couple who can’t seem to stay away from each other (and they really should!) with searing social commentary. Very overlooked and well worth checking out.
I’ll be taking a blog mini-break for Thanksgiving but just wanted to say thank you to those who keep tuning into my little corner of the online world and hope you all had good books to read this and every year wherever you found them.
Also, I am sadly aware of just how chaotic our world has become right now and the rising levels of social discourse both on and off line , particularly with both home grown tensions and certain international events in the headlines.
The best that I can say about all of this sound and fury is instead of overindulging in anger and frustrated sorrow is to try and stay connected with one another by finding the collective good(or good enough) to help each other through these difficult moments.
Things don’t have to be picture perfect but even those family fights at Thanksgiving can be overcome with some sincere effort and a well timed joke or two. Maybe it’s a foolish notion but hey, you never know until you try, right? Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving is all and to all, a good read:
Granted, the world around us seems to be getting rougher by the minute but a good way to deal with it, I find, is to take joy where you can find it, especially if said joy is between the pages of a book.
My book mail haul has been bountiful indeed of late, starting with my newest Book of the Month Club selections-the main attraction being This Spells Love by Kate Robb(an early BOMC release btw-this debut novel will be officially available elsewhere on December 5).
Gemma Wilde ,despite her lively last name, is the type to stay on the steady path in life even if that means she’s stuck in a job that pays well but crushes her spirits and her boyfriend is the dictionary definition of reliable.
That is, until he dumps her, leaving Gemma feeling out of control so much so that she and a group of friends try a love memory spell during a night of drinking that works way too well.
Gemma walks up the next day to discover that more that her recent breakup has been erased; her old job is gone, she lives in a completely different place and worst of all, her best friend Dax doesn’t know her at all.
Since Dax kissed her as part of the original spell, he has to do again in order to reverse it. However as time goes on, Gemma starts taking chances in this new life she’s magically given and finds herself falling in love with Dax this time around.
Is it worth the risk to return to her old life to put this perhaps meant to be romance in jeopardy, possibly for good?
This just sounds like such a charmer, a cross between Practical Magic and Sliding Doors movie wise, that promises to be as comforting as cup of cocoa while watching your favorite romcom there:
My add-on choice for this BOMC box was Meg Shaffer’s The Wishing Game, which I have heard wonderful things about.
Ever since she was 13, Lucy Hart dreamed of going to Clock Island, the magical realm created by the series of best selling books by reclusive author Jack Masterson.
She even tried running away from her neglectful home to the real world counterpart owned by Masterson once but that failed attempt turned into something more years later.
Lucy is now an adult, hoping to adopt a lonely child but lacking the financial means to do so. When given the opportunity to compete for an exclusive edition of what may be the final Clock Island book , not to mention the only copy in the world, she takes that chance with the fervent wish that it might solve many of her problems.
Joining three other fans who also ran away to the island as children, Gemma soon learns that the numerous riddles and challenges presented to each of them are personally tailored to them and their greatest fears. Not to mention that Jack Masterson has a secret of his own that may reveal his true reasons for holding this contest in the first place. Can Gemma truly win here, even if she doesn’t get the book?
Word of mouth about this story has been amazing and it does sounds like a Willy Wonka tale for grownups in the best sense. I’m eager to see if this book is as magically delicious as those Wonka bars always seemed to be:
Then I received a pleasant surprise as an advance copy of a debut mystery novel due out in January of 2024 arrived at my door.
The Night of the Storm by Nishita Parekh is set in modern day Houston, TX as newly single mom Jia Shah has to take refuge from an impending hurricane with her family, who is far from happy with her current set of life choices.
Jia has enough on her plate as it is, with her twelve year old son Isshan being suspended from school and dealing with being able to financially support them both. By staying at her sister’s house to avoid the roving wreckage that is Hurricane Harvey, drama with her relatives is the last thing she needs right now.
That truckload of trouble gets heavier as more relatives arrive and during the height of the storm, one of them is found dead by untimely means.
With no way to get official help on this matter, Jia finds herself playing detective to both clear herself of suspicion and to prevent another death on their doorstep. Can she do that without being attacked by the killer or the lethal force of nature trapping them together?
Getting a new book, particularly one that won’t out until next year, is such fun and also a debut novel to boot is total chef’s kiss there! This book has the flavor of one of those iconic Agatha Christie closed room mysteries and should be a great bookish companion for cold weather reading indeed:
Just yesterday, my mailbox had a special prize awaiting me, courtesy of a giveaway held on Instagram for Amiee Gibbs’ The Carnivale of Curiosities.
This debut novel(I am having so much luck with debut novels lately!) is set in Victorian London, where the title traveling show is setting up for a new season.
It is said that the lead magician Aurelius Ashe can actually perform real magic and will do so for a select few that meet his standards. Wealthy banker Odilon Rose demands that Ashe grant him a cure for his ailing ward Charlotte but since his true intentions towards the young woman are impure to say the least, Ashe refuses his demands.
When Rose threatens the life of one of Ashe’s performers if his wish is not granted, the magician gives in..but not without a price that must be paid. Thinking he can get out of anything, Rose agrees yet the aftermath of this bargain resonates with more than one person in more ways than one.
I am so thankful to win such an intriguing book and hope to be spellbound by this fantastic tale for many nights to come:
We’re a couple of weeks away from Thanksgiving and I have much to feast upon in a mental banquet sort of way. I know it is difficult to keep your spirits up during these troubling times but when good things come your way or good news like the SAG/AFTRA strike coming to an end(congratulations to all concerned on that front!) pop up, rejoicing is indeed in order.
With any luck, things might get a bit better before this year finishes up; let us hope so at any rate. In the meantime, gathering some good books together for the cold days ahead is important, as important as making that holiday gravy on time for the big day there to be sure!:
Happy November, folks and I hope you all had a pleasant Halloween experience earlier this week. I also hope that those who took part in this year’s FrightFall readathon (hosted by Michelle Miller at Seasons of Reading) had a great time as well.
I’m pleased to report that I was able to finish all three of the books on my TBR for this challenge, starting with Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen. Our leading undead lady is Louise, who has not found that particular brand of eternal night life to be anything like the media myths make it out to be.
For one, she doesn’t have any powers beyond staying young and most of her after dark existence involves a night shift job at a local hospital in order to poach blood bags for the vampire collective community. Her main companion is a cute Corgi named Lola,due to the loss of her last human friend who Louise fears she may have doomed by revealing her true nature.
When a couple of long lost relatives literally turn up on her doorstep, Louise is not inclined to let them get beyond the front door but upon meeting Ian, whose father has recently died and his mother not too far gone from that fate, she winds up bonding with him over their mutual love of music.
Of course, their tastes in music differ but soon enough, Louise starts to teach Ian the basics of punk rock and guitar playing, opening up her former passion for being a member of a band. However, when Ian catches on to what she really is, he makes a request that’s she understandably reluctant to grant. Can their friendship survive this impass or is there a way to save the metaphorical day for them both?
I’ve read Mike Chen before and he has a great knack for blending in everyday realism into otherworldly genres with a seemingly casual ease. It helps that Chen aptly adds touches of humor and heart into his characters and their situations with out going overboard on either story element.
Vampire Weekend was a great bookish beat to dance to and one way or another, I plan on reading more of his work soon:
After that, I visited Miss Marple in Agatha Christie‘a A Murder is Announced. The title refers to an unusual advertisement in the local newspaper in the village of Chipping Cleghorn, inviting anyone interested to the home of Letitia Blacklock that evening for such an offbeat event.
Those who attend believe that it’s some kind of party game that Letitia’s mischievous nephew Patrick has set up yet he insists that this is not of his doing. When the lights go out and a stranger appears, real bullets are fired and someone does dies.
The why and how of it puzzles the police but fortunately, Miss Marple happens to be in the area, visiting some friends of the family and very willing to help with her subtle style of observations on such a matter. The major part of this mystery is who was the real target of the killer and will they strike again?
I do prefer the Marple mysteries to the Poirot ones in Christie’s body of work yet I also like them more when Miss Marple is more front and center to the action.
AMIA does take some time to get to Jane Marple but the book does make up for that wait with an array of interesting oddball characters that do engage your attention quite nicely. All in all, it’s a clever story that does keep you guessing in the best sense until the bittersweet end:
The best I saved for last and trust me when I say that Victor Lavelle’s Lone Women was well worth the wait.
The novel begins in California of 1915 as Adelaide Henry leaves her family home in actual flames in order to conceal the gruesome nature of their untimely demise.
She heads out to Montana, where unmarried women and widows are able to claim land grants and start a new life for themselves. The only big ticket item that Adelaide has with her is a mysterious trunk that is always locked and for good reason. While she desperately wants to leave her past behind her, Adelaide has no choice but to drag this unwieldy family secret along with her into the unknown.
That’s all I’m going to say about the plot because this is a story best appreciated by discovering it’s creative charms for yourself. What I will say is that Lavelle is an amazing writer with an imagination that can’t be beat and this is one of the best books that I’ve read this or any other year.
Such a wild ride of emotion, terror and the lore of the Ild West as you have never seen before awaits you on the page and then some:
So, out of the four readathons that I participated in this year, I completed all of the books chosen for those challenges three times out of the four, a nice little achievement that I’m way too proud of there.
Nonetheless, reading is its own reward and much thanks is due to Michelle Miller at Seasons of Reading who makes these readathons the fun and friendly events that they are. There is a Christmas challenge on that horizon but I might take a pause on that for the holidays.
In the meanwhile, this November, I gave myself the challenge of a Thrill Ride TBR(to catch up on a few mystery/thriller stories) and planing to indulge in the second seasons of cable/streaming shows that may take awhile to get third seasons due to the actors’ strike still ongoing(as of this writing, SAG-AFTRA is still waiting to hear from the studios about a counter offer).
With any luck, the actors might have things settled soon but in the meantime, let’s be grateful for the good stories that are available to us all and hopefully, those who work hard to share their talents with us are given the full slice of the entertainment pie that they truly deserve-in other words, bon appetit!:
